Pet disaster evacuation plans can protect owners and animals

Pet disaster evacuation can be sudden, and animals may be trapped, escape or be separated from their owners while shelter options remain limited. Planning where an animal can go before an evacuation order is issued can protect people as well as pets, according to a peer-reviewed public-health review and animal-welfare groups.

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals says owners should take pets when they evacuate rather than leave them behind. Animals left at home can become trapped, run away or face dangerous conditions, while not every emergency shelter accepts pets, the organization says.

What should I do with my pet during a disaster evacuation?

Leave with the pet if conditions require evacuation, using a destination arranged in advance. The ASPCA advises owners to identify pet-friendly hotels, boarding facilities, emergency animal care, or friends and relatives outside the immediate area because a public shelter may not be able to take animals.

Temporary animal shelters, foster care and rescue services may also be available, but they depend on local capacity. Humane World for Animals says its response work can include rescue, veterinary assistance, supplies and temporary sheltering, while stressing that owners should make their own animal-inclusive plan ahead of time.

If an evacuation order comes while an owner is away, the ASPCA recommends appointing a trusted nearby caregiver who has a key and can get into the home. The Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region has similarly advised choosing someone the animal already knows; its local response team may temporarily house pets in some evacuations, according to KKTV. Such services are local, not guaranteed.

Why does pet evacuation planning affect human safety?

A 2017 review in the American Journal of Public Health found that a lack of animal evacuation plans can lead some owners to remain at home, reject evacuation orders or try to re-enter dangerous areas to retrieve pets. The review also linked forced pet abandonment with psychological harm and said roaming or abandoned animals can face greater exposure to infected wildlife or unowned animals.

That means pet planning is part of wider emergency preparedness, not only an animal-welfare concern. The review concluded that including companion animals in disaster plans can strengthen community resilience and public health.

What belongs in a pet evacuation kit?

The ASPCA recommends keeping a kit and leashes near an exit, with enough supplies for an extended absence. Its suggested list includes:

• Seven to 10 days of food and at least seven days of water for each person and pet.
• Medicines, veterinary or vaccination records, and pet first-aid supplies.
• A carrier or sturdy crate for each animal, plus a leash, harness and spare collar.
• Current identification tags, contact details written on the carrier, and recent photographs.

The ASPCA also recommends bringing pets indoors when warnings begin and keeping microchip details current. The Pikes Peak Region humane society told KKTV that animals can become frightened and flee during disasters; it recommended helping pets get used to carriers or vehicles before an emergency.

Okayama University of Science offers one example of pre-arranged co-evacuation. Under a 2018 agreement involving the university, Imabari city and the Ehime Veterinary Medical Association, its Imabari campus was designated for people fleeing with pets. During the March 2025 Imabari wildfire, the university said its gymnasium received three households, comprising seven people and 11 cats.

The university said one cat initially would not eat in the unfamiliar setting, underscoring the stress that sheltering can cause. A local humane-society representative told KKTV that familiar belongings and a return to routines may help animals settle after an emergency.

This story draws on original reporting from Phys.org.